Computer Forensic Investigations and Employment Disputes

Computer Forensic Investigations and Employment Disputes

The use of computer forensics investigations pursuant to a civil or employment dispute or any other labor and law issue is one of the staples of Surveillance Specialist Group. Our senior investigator specializes in this area. He has worked on some of the largest civil cases and saved one company over $110 Million Dollars. Our computer forensics practice was established under the direct supervision of our senior investigator and forensics director and noted information technology specialist. He has worked on huge civil cases such as “KeySpan vs. Roy Kay Inc.” and other large cases involving a New Jersey school Principal and the Board of Education.

The evidence uncovered by our team not only proved her case, but it also saved her career not to mention her pension. Our agency has grown significantly since its inception and the reputation of our firm has grown along with it. Beginning with domestic and corporate disputes in New Jersey and Florida, we have aggressively entered the world of computer forensics and data recovery.

The cornerstone of our success in this area is the ability to quickly arrive on site and make a forensically sound (legally admissible) image of the hard drive or media of an executive, employee or business partner that this employer is terminating and feels they may pose a threat to the company. We then retain this image and hold it in our evidence locker if and until our client needs to have a complete forensics analysis. This should be a common practice for all companies. By the time you receive a cause of action against you it could be too late to produce vital data from that computer. In addition it’s probably been used by others and the data would then be tainted. In other cases we are hired to recover files and e-mails that an employee intentionally deleted from their computer or your servers.

Perhaps they have password protected their files and you need to unlock them. This approach is not only regarding problem terminations, but is also very prudent for exiting high level executives, employees with handicaps, and employees who have engaged in gross fraternization. Many employees leave on their own and attempt to take clients and other material with them. Documenting their connection to these clients and materials as a result of computer forensics conducted on computers associated with these departed individuals is vital. We are also seriously involved in computer forensics focused a rooting out criminal activity within an organization. Because we are impartial experienced investigators and from a respected licensed private agency and not an internal IT guy or a computer repair guy, we are able to provide detective-client privilege to our computer forensic cases, giving our clients the same protection they would share with their attorney.

We have successfully helped to defend both private and public employers in civil law suits and intricate litigation. Our forensic computer investigations are likewise heavily involved in the defense of wrongful discharge cases, contract and commission claims, implied employment contract claims, slander and libel claims, negligence and negligent retention claims, and whistle blower claims. We also have an extensive practice prosecuting and defending trade secret, breach of fiduciary duty cases and more. Our investigators can provide expert testimony about their forensic data investigations in court with confidence.

If you are an employee or an employer faced with a troubling termination, don’t dismiss it or wait to find out in the mail. If you suspect an employee of violating a non-compete agreement, misusing corporate assets, spending too much time on the Internet, visiting inappropriate websites, you suspect that an employee may be involved with some type internal fraud or theft of proprietary data. Call us now.